Kelly's Time Capsule
by madame.alexandra
Summary: A collection of Leroy Jethro Gibbs' favorite good memories/snapshots of his life with Shannon and Kelly. Fluff, with the inevitable tinge of sadness, and plenty of laughs. Nostalgic. Written because I'm a little sentimental.
1. Introduction

_**Introduction**:_

_The General Idea: _Inspired partly by the episode 'Requiem' in which Leroy Jethro Gibbs learns about Kelly and Maddie's backyard Time Capsule. That's where the title comes from. What this piece is is a collection of memories/snapshots of the life Jethro had with Kelly and Shannon before they died. This will be updated sporadically, as I write on it when I need a break from my other, darker projects.

A few things to note:

-There will be no order of time in which the snapshots appear; in one Kelly may be an infant and in the next, 7 years old.

-It won't be a very large piece, at the most perhaps 15 chapters.

-Will focus on Jethro's relationship with Shannon and Kelly.

I have a soft spot for the fatherhood part of Gibbs, but I do not want to stress myself with orchestrating a "Paris Love Child" or "Director Pregnancy" Jibbs fic:) I bid you enjoy, if you read!

-_Alexandra:)_


	2. The First Time He Held Her

_1984; The First Time He Held Kelly_

* * *

Leroy Jethro Gibbs stood outside the large window of glass next to one of the other new dads, his eyes focused carefully in front of him. He had his hands in his pockets because he wasn't sure what else to do with them. He was busy looking at the rows of little pink and blue blankets in their clear hospital cribs, specifically _his_ little pink blanket.

She was only a few hours old, and she was sleeping. Her name was written in neatly scripted letters on the card in front of the crib: _Gibbs, Kelly Katelyn. _She was right in the front row, snuggled into a fuzzy blanket, so he could see her easily.

He was still getting used to the idea that she was _his_.

He was so lost in thought looking at her, he almost didn't hear the young nurse open the door and call his name gently.

"Sir?"

He looked up at her, blinking slowly. The young nurse smiled at him and opened the door a little further, tilting her head and beckoning with a finger. He glanced back at the babies and walked towards her.

"Yours is Kelly Gibbs?" she asked. He nodded affirmatively. "She has a clean bill of health and she's had her bath. Would you like to take her to see Mom?" she offered.

He studied the nurse impassively for a moment. He hadn't held her yet, and he was slightly nervous about it, but he wasn't about to admit that. He nodded wordlessly again and she pushed the door open, beckoning again so he would follow her in.

"She's a good girl," the nurse murmured warmly, reaching confidently into the crib and picking Kelly up. She walked back over to him, tucking the blanket around the baby securely, and stopped, looking up expectantly. He realized she was waiting for him to take his baby from her.

Swallowing hard, Jethro reached out and put his hands under Kelly, careful to be gentle and get a good hold before he nodded to inform the nurse he had her. She kept her palm under Kelly's head until it was nestled in the crook of his arm.

Kelly opened and closed her mouth and squirmed, settling down again without a sound. Jethro put his hand on her stomach gently and held her firmly against his chest, inwardly terrified of dropping her.

The nurse smiled brightly and slipped past him, opening the door helpfully. Jethro managed to look up while he left the nursery, giving her a hint of a smile in thanks. The immaculate hospital hallway was quiet and not fairly empty at this time in the afternoon. He knew the paces to Shannon's room by memory; he knew the whole maternity ward he'd paced around it so much.

He watched Kelly while he walked, his footsteps sounding eerily loud in the hall. When he reached the snugly shut door to Shannon's room, he paused briefly before opening it, unsure if she was still asleep. She was, and he shut the door as quietly as possible.

Risking holding Kelly in one arm, he pulled a chair up to Shannon's bed and sat down, leaning back to hold his daughter while he waited for her to wake up. She was tired but she was happy, and that was all that mattered.

He looked down at Kelly again, resting his hand on her stomach again. She was so little and warm. She weighed seven pounds. He pulled the edge of the blanket back a little and touched her tiny, curled fingers. She fidgeted, but didn't wake up. Hesitantly, he ran his finger down her soft cheek.

Kelly made a small, kitten-like noise and turned her head towards his touch, nuzzling his fingers. She moved her hand towards his shirt and wriggled. He tilted his head to watch her, and she opened her eyes slowly, looking up at him with wide, innocent blue eyes.

"Hi, Kelly," he said softly, touching the crown of her head.

She looked at him curiously. He smirked at her. So she didn't know what to think of him, either. At least they had something in common.

Kelly whimpered and squirmed again, reaching over to press her curled hand into his chest. She started to fuss, and he touched her cheek soothingly again, pulling her a little closer.

"Don't cry," he muttered, sneaking a furtive glance at Shannon. She was frowning in her sleep, her hair straying wispily across her forehead. He didn't know what to do if Kelly started crying, but he was pretty sure Shannon would.

Kelly ignored his request. His authority was apparently collapsing already. She squealed and opened her mouth, showing him her pink gums.

"_Shh_," he implored, flicking his eyes up to Shannon again. She was looking right back at him sleepily. Jethro looked back down at Kelly and touched her under the chin. "Look who you woke up," he reprimanded gently, unable to hold back a smile.

"Hey," Shannon admonished softly, "be nice."

She brushed her tangled hair out of her face and rose up slowly on one arm, watching Jethro and Kelly. She caught his eye and smiled beautifully, her eyes brightening. She pushed her pillows up to support her back and sat up, her eyes on Jethro as he attempted to keep Kelly from bursting into frustrated screams.

She wriggled and fussed quietly, evidently content to just worry him.

"What's wrong?" Jethro asked edgily, looking to her for help.

Shannon pursed her lips curiously and held out her arms. Jethro stood and sat on the edge of her bed, letting her take Kelly from him and cuddle her close. Kelly quieted almost on cue, and snuggled into Shannon's arms. Shannon smiled at Jethro and crinkled her nose.

He pretended to glare at his new daughter.

"Oh. I see how it is," he mumbled, raising an eyebrow. Shannon laughed and splayed her long fingers over Kelly's stomach like he had, smiling at her contentedly.

"Hello, sweetheart," she murmured, running her hand over Kelly's arm, "Hi," Shannon touched Kelly's fingers and she grasped her mother's finger tightly, cooing softly. Shannon clicked her tongue quietly and lifted her arm, touching her nose to Kelly's forehead lightly.

Jethro rested his hand on Shannon's knee through the hospital blankets. She looked over at him through her eyelashes, her eyes twinkling.

"Daddy is _jealous_," she whispered, her smile teasing him.

Jethro scooted closer to her and pushed her hair behind her ear, tilting her head forward so he could kiss her temple.

"Nahh," he muttered.

Shannon waved Kelly's little hand back and forth.

"Do you like her?" she asked, tilting her head at the baby. Jethro rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I _like_ her, Shannon. She's my baby."

Shannon smiled. She kissed Kelly's curled fingers lovingly, her eyes still on the baby. He watched her, happy to see her so relaxed. She had been so stressed out the past few weeks.

"We did good," she mused.

"You did good," he muttered, kissing her head again.

He nudged Shannon's hand out of the way and let Kelly grasp his finger instead, surprised at her strong grip. He felt Shannon rest her head on his shoulder and he smiled, his eyes on Kelly.

It was strange, touching her and seeing her. There were so many different things going through his mind. He was her father. He had to take care of her and love her. What if something happened to her; what if he was called to serve? Kelly blinked at him, her eyes big and blue and trusting. She depended on him.

Kelly squealed at him. She sounded happy.

Shannon laughed, smiling into his shoulder.

"I love you," she said. She sounded tired.

He put his arm around her. This was nerve-wracking. He looked at his little girl, swallowing hard again and thinking about taking Shannon and her home. It surprised him how fast things could change. Kelly made a lot of things different.

Shannon's soft, even breathing told him she'd fallen asleep again. Jethro smiled at Kelly. He hadn't thought he could love someone as much as he loved Shannon.

Kelly changed his mind.


	3. The First Time She Said Daddy

_1985; The First Time She Said Daddy_

* * *

"Mama."

Leroy Jethro Gibbs rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as his wife smiled softly next to him. She glanced in the rearview mirror to check on their daughter and turned her attention back to the road.

"Mama."

Jethro turned and looked at his fourteen-month-old. She beamed at him and hugged her stuffed elephant; her baby soft auburn hair pulled into pigtails and tied with green ribbons.

"Mama!" she said again.

He pointed to himself, looking at her seriously.

"Daddy," he said.

Kelly giggled and buried her little face in her stuffed animal, peeking at him.

"Mama," she mumbled thickly.

Jethro glared at her.

"What, baby?" Shannon asked, laughing.

Kelly giggled. She had discovered the novelty of speaking a number of days ago, to the delight and admiration of her young parents, and had not yet ceased enjoying it. Frustrating to Jethro was the fact that, to date, all she said was 'Mama' and—

"Boat!" Kelly exclaimed.

Shannon laughed again, giving Jethro a quick, amused look and smiling even wider at the consternated look on his face. He turned around and glared out the front window, frowning a little.

"Stop pouting," Shannon said.

"I'm not pouting," he retorted indignantly.

She nudged his arm playfully. He nudged back rudely and she snorted.

"Mama!"

He grumbled under his breath.

"Oh, you're pouting, Jethro," Shannon informed him matter-of-factly. Kelly insistently asked for her mother again. Shannon looked at her in the mirror…again.

"Mommy's right here," she said.

"Boat!" Kelly squealed.

Shannon shook her head good-naturedly.

"You have only yourself to blame," she told her husband.

"How is this my fault?!" he asked indignantly, still perturbed that his child refused to acknowledge him as her father.

"She might say 'Daddy' if she didn't think you loved the boat more."

Jethro scoffed.

"MAMA!" shrieked Kelly.

"Jethro, entertain her," Shannon said sweetly, reaching over and rubbing Jethro's thigh persuasively.

He turned around and angled his body towards Kelly, taking a moment to admire her cuteness for a minute. She hid her face from him again and giggled, peeking over the trunk of the furry elephant.

"Daddy," he said, pointing to himself again.

She stuck her tongue between her tiny teeth and giggled, wrinkling her nose. She looked so innocent strapped into her green car seat with her pigtails and purple Sunday dress that he could hardly be mad. He still felt neglected.

"Say Daddy, Kelly," he coaxed.

"Mama!" she said with a smile, looking at him earnestly. Disheartened, he frowned a little and she lowered her head to the elephant again, shrieking.

"Daddy. Say Daddy, Kelly."

"MA. MA." She responded pointedly.

"Please?" Jethro asked.

She smiled at him. He felt he was being taunted by a toddler.

Jethro turned around and glared out the windshield again.

"She wants _you_," he informed Shannon sulkily.

Shannon remain silent for a curiously long moment. Then:

"Did you just say 'please'?" she asked innocently.

"Shannon, she's doing it on purpose!" whined Jethro.

"Jethro, she's barely a year old. She is not deliberately spiting you."

"How come she likes _you_ better when _I_ let her have cookies?" Jethro demanded.

Shannon glared at him.

"I knew you didn't eat those. You hate girl scout cookies."

"Mama, mama, mama…" Kelly babbled. "Boat, Mama? Boat?"

"No, sweetheart, no boat today. We're going to see Granpa Jack!"

"Boat, Mama," Kelly replied seriously.

"Yeah, me too," Jethro agreed with her in a mutter. Shannon reached over and flicked him in the shoulder. He rolled his head on the back of the seat at her and stuck out his tongue, put out that he was being dragged back to Stillwater while on leave _and_ eclipsed in his daughter's vocabulary by Shannon.

Jethro narrowed his eyes as they entered the familiar, small town he'd grown up in and slouched in his seat.

"What if she says Granpa before she says Daddy?" he asked petulantly.

Shannon laughed, tilting her head back and shaking it in disbelief.

"You're being ridiculous. She _won't_. She loves you too much."

"Do you love me, baby?" Jethro asked forlornly, turning around to look at her seriously.

She giggled and reached her arms out to him, grasping.

"Boat," she answered unhelpfully. Shannon slowed the car in front of Jackson Gibbs' store and Jethro groaned, his head falling against the head rest in defeat. Shannon leaned over, unbuckling her seatbelt, and giggled softly.

"Maybe she thinks your name is boat," she whispered, kissing Jethro's cheek sympathetically.

Kelly hummed, picking up her elephant again and playing with its ears as Jethro watched her. Shannon got out of the van and swung open Kelly's door. The little girl looked at Shannon interestedly, but did not exclaim with the excited 'Mama!' her parents had expected.

"Long car ride, huh, Kel?" asked Shannon. "Ready to run around a little?"

"Hummmmm," Kelly said, furrowing her brow.

Jethro dramatically undid his seatbelt, sighing loudly. Shannon reached for the straps of Kelly's car seat and Kelly screamed, shaking her head. Shannon looked surprised, her eyes widening.

"What?" she asked exasperatedly.

"DADDY!" screamed Kelly.

Jethro perked up instantly. Shannon looked up at him. He practically jumped out of the car, jogging around it and worming in next to Shannon. Shannon lifted her eyes to the sky and stepped back graciously, gesturing gallantly that Jethro should take the place of honor.

"Daddy," chirped Kelly brightly, pulling at the straps of her car seat.

"Kelly," he said back with a smile, unbuckling her and picking her up swiftly. He pushed the car door shut and put his hand on her cheek proudly.

"Daddy," she said, immediately reaching for the dog tags he always wore. She tangled them in her fingers and shook them. "Daddy, boat."

"Jethro: 2, Shannon: 1," Jethro gloated, throwing a triumphant look at his redhead. She rolled her eyes good naturedly and looked over her shoulder at Jackson Gibbs' corner store, where the older Gibbs was just coming out to greet them.

"So she's bi-polar," Shannon said with a shrug. "You wait and see who she wants in five minutes."

"Jealous," sneered Jethro playfully, wrapped up in hugging his daughter appreciatively. She laid her head on his shoulder, swinging the dog tags back and forth on his neck.

"Uh-huh," Shannon rolled her eyes with a smirk.

"Love, Daddy," Kelly said suddenly, grasping Jethro's ear and pulling on it. She giggled. Shannon opened her mouth in outrage.

"Hey! Not fair!" she gasped, sidling up to her husband and baby. She put her hand gently on Kelly's head and peered at her hopefully. "You only said that because you feel sorry for him," she said, smiling as she tickled Kelly's side.

Kelly snuggled up to Jethro.

"Love Daddy."

"Do you love mommy?" Shannon asked seriously, forcing Jethro to give her back Kelly and supporting the little girl on her hip.

"Ummmm. Boat?" was Kelly's sweet answer.

Shannon frowned.

"Well, I love you," Jethro announced, to comfort Shannon after her rejection, tugging on one of Kelly's pigtails very gently and kissing Shannon.

"Huh-uh!" Kelly yelped sharply, glaring at Jethro. "KELLY!" she cried.

He laughed.

"Now who's jealous?"

Shannon asked with a smirk, her eyes softening as she watched Jethro take Kelly back and place a kiss to her head lovingly.


	4. The First Time He Realized

_1987; The First Time He Realized She's Growing Up Too Fast_

* * *

Leroy Jethro Gibbs twitched in his light sleep as something tiny and warm patted him on the cheek gently.

"Wake-up, Daddy!"

It was a secretive whisper, and he opened his eyes slowly, blinking groggily at his daughter. She beamed at him and patted his cheek again. He was napping on the couch, exhausted from a day of labor at Quantico. It was sometime after supper.

He growled playfully at Kelly.

She squealed and covered her eyes.

"Kelly, I told you to leave Daddy alone," he heard Shannon reprimand from the kitchen.

Jethro raised his eyebrows at Kelly. He lifted a finger to his lips and indicated they should be quiet, rolling onto the floor to his hands and knees. Kelly giggled softly, her eyes glowing excitedly.

"Kelly. Come here, now," Shannon said. "Daddy's tired."

Jethro began crawling towards the kitchen, intent on scaring the crap out of his wife. Kelly jumped in front of him and scampered into the kitchen with her mother. Jethro peeked around the corner and saw her standing with her arm around Shannon's legs while she washed dishes. Kelly laughed and covered her own lips with a shushing finger.

"What's funny, trouble maker?" Shannon asked.

Jethro crept into the kitchen, making a scary face.

"Daddy's gonna scare you!" shrieked Kelly, and Shannon glanced down immediately. She smirked in triumph. Jethro glared at Kelly.

"Spoilsport," he growled.

Shannon threw a soapy dishrag at Jethro and Kelly laughed, prancing away from Shannon's legs as Jethro sprawled on the floor in defeat. He groaned dramatically, and snatched the rag off his head. He chucked it at Shannon's legs.

She laughed, looking down at him and pouting her lips sarcastically.

Kelly climbed over Jethro and sat on his stomach, leaning forward with an adorable smile.

"Sparkle bugs, Daddy," she said matter-of-factly.

He nodded, and grabbed her up, smiling when she shrieked in delight. He stood up, tucking her under his arm easily, and peered at what was left of the dishes.

"Sparkle bugs?" Shannon asked softly, raising her eyebrows.

"First night of summer," Jethro grunted. "Fireflies come out," he clarified. Shannon smiled, rinsing off one of the last plates.

"Why is she calling them sparkle bugs?" Shannon asked, amused.

"'Cause she's precious," Jethro responded gruffly, wrinkling his nose at Kelly and ruffling her hair affectionately. She smacked her lips at him and crinkled her own nose. Jethro plopped his three-year-old down on the counter next to Shannon.

Shannon stared at her husband.

"I'm going to call every one of your marine buddies and tell them you're using the word 'precious'. No. I'm calling your CO," she said seriously, returning to finishing her task.

Jethro glared at her. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, making a mental note to cut the phone lines. He turned to Kelly.

"Sit tight, I'm going to get the jars," he said, setting her back on the counter a little. He didn't want her to find an opportunity to fall which, as the child of Shannon The Klutz Gibbs, she probably would anyway.

He went down to the basement and grabbed up a few of the cleaner mason jars, scrounging up a few punctured tops as well so the fireflies wouldn't die when they were put in the jars. He couldn't handle Kelly freaking out again like she had when Shannon killed a grasshopper last week.

Back in the kitchen, Kelly was humming loudly and Shannon was drying off her hands, finished cleaning up. She looked at the items in Jethro's hands. She placed a hand on her hip and gave Kelly a stern look.

"Have you two been planning a date without Mom?" she asked seriously.

Kelly grinned.

"Daddy says the bugs glow and we can catch 'em and he said when it gets dark—" she began eagerly. Shannon smiled, reaching out to pinch Kelly's sides gently. Kelly giggled and squirmed. She looked at Jethro and swept Kelly off the counter, pushing her own hair out of her eyes.

"Is that what we're going to do, Jethro?"

He nodded solemnly and handed Shannon and Kelly both a jar. Then he marched to the back porch door, holding it open for both of them. The summer night air was warm and absent of humidity.

"Let me go," Kelly said seriously, giving Shannon a look.

"Hey, can you ask nicely?" Shannon retorted, touching her forehead to her daughter's.

"Daddy, make Mommy let go."

Jethro laughed and it made Kelly giggle, thinking she'd said something funny. Shannon rolled her eyes and let Kelly scramble out of her arms to the grass. Kelly pranced around the grass for a minute and then back to her father, snuggling up to his legs. She looked up.

"Where are the sparkle bugs?"

Jethro crouched down. He looked around with a critical eye and slowly pointed ahead a little. A few lights glowed prettily in the moonlit backyard. Kelly gasped and started to dart forward.

"Ah," Jethro reprimanded, dragging her back with his arm around her waist. "Hold your horses, princess," he growled.

She pouted at him.

"You have to be slow, Kelly," Shannon said. "If you run, the bugs will be scared."

"Hear what Mommy said?" Jethro asked. Kelly nodded slowly.

"Walk slowly," she repeated. Jethro held a hand to his lips. "Stay quiet," Kelly whispered happily. Jethro nodded and stood up, releasing her to let her scamper into the yard, more cautious this time.

He glanced at Shannon.

"I'm just going to watch," she said.

"Chicken," he mocked. "They're harmless, hon," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, they're still beetles," she retorted, narrowing her eyes.

He shrugged, smirking, and followed Kelly, keeping an eye on her. She was too busy watching the bugs light up around her and admiring the sight to catch them just yet. Jethro crouched down again, set his jar down, and cupped his hands around a lightening bug.

"Kelly," he said gently, holding up his hands. She ran over to him, her eyes wide. He opened his hands a little to show her.

"Sparkle bug!" she gasped, watching it cast his hands in a yellow glow. "Daddy got one!" she yelled to Shannon, inching closer. She reached out to put her finger near it.

"Be gentle, Kelly," he said. "You don't want to hurt 'im."

"It's a girl, Daddy," she informed him seriously.

"Yeah? How do you know, smarty pants?"

"It sparkles. Girls sparkle," she said.

Jethro smiled.

A few more fireflies lit around Kelly and she looked around, her blue eyes wide. One of them happened to land on her arm and she squealed, jumping up in surprise. Shannon appeared out of nowhere when Kelly screamed, concerned.

"Jesus, Shannon," Jethro muttered, amused. "Relax."

"Language, Jethro," she reprimanded, crouching down. She took Kelly's arm and stopped her from shaking it. "Catch it, Kelly," she coaxed.

Kelly inched her hand towards the bug on her arm and it flew away, lighting up as it did.

She frowned.

"Sparkle bug flew away," she said forlornly.

Jethro picked up her jar from where she'd dropped it in her brief panic and shook his own firefly gently into it, putting the cap on. He presented it to Kelly.

"Look, I got you started. You're on your own, honey," he said sternly.

Kelly took the jar and peered inside, beaming.

"Hi sparkle bug!" she greeted warmly. She looked at her parents and back at the bug, glancing around. She started to wander off in pursuit of another. "She's lonely," Kelly said seriously.

Jethro sat back on his behind, watching Kelly pounce around in the yard. Shannon followed suit after a moment, wrapping her arms around her knees. Jethro sneakily put his arm around her and pressed his lips to her jaw, massaging her neck.

"Are you putting the moves on me?" she asked, resting her head on his shoulder.

Kelly started hopping after a bug like a bunny rabbit.

"Mmmhmmm," he muttered shamelessly.

"I thought you were exhausted," she retorted skeptically.

"I _was_ tired. Way too tired to wash dishes," he answered seriously.

Shannon smiled.

Jethro squeezed her shoulder gently and pulled her a little closer, returning to watching Kelly.

She was kneeling by Shannon's flower bed now, her tongue between her teeth.

"Daddy, Mommy! Look! 'Nother sparkle bug!" she cried, holding up the jar that now contained two. Shannon said something back encouragingly. Jethro watched his daughter prance off again in search of more.

He decided she was growing up too fast. He wouldn't go as far as to burst into tears because she'd started walking (like Shannon had) but she was three already, and Shannon was already mentioning looking at schools. He liked her little. She was cute and cuddly and funny.

"What time is it?" Shannon asked softly.

"After eight," her responded lazily.

Shannon made a whining noise.

"Bedtime," she muttered.

Kelly ran up to them, falling to her knees and worming in between them primly, careful with her jar.

"There's three sparklies now," she announced proudly. "Mommy, Daddy, and Kelly!" she pointed out, grinning up at them. Jethro reached down and tickled her, making a funny face. She laughed and curled up defensively.

"Help," she cried pitifully.

"Kelly," drawled Shannon nicely, reaching down to fight off Jethro's hands. Kelly smiled at Shannon prettily. "It's time for night-night," she informed the three-year-old.

"Nuh-uh!" Kelly responded, leaping up and scrambling away before she could be caught.

"You sucker, you didn't even _try_," Shannon accused, laughing at Jethro.

Kelly giggled, scampering off into some of Shannon's flowers and hiding. Her sparkle bugs have her away. Shannon sighed dramatically and glared at Jethro playfully. He smiled and shrugged, looking over at Kelly.

"Ah, let her stay up, Shannon," he said.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek, attempting to drag him up as she perched on her knees. She lifted her eyebrow at him and snuggled up to him, tugging on his arms.

"Why do I get the feeling you won't be saying that when she's sixteen?" she asked smartly.

Jethro grabbed her and she squeaked in surprise. He tackled her back to the grass. He grimaced at the thought of a teenage daughter. He trapped Shannon to the ground with his leg.

"She's not sixteen, she's three," he growled threateningly. She grinned at him.

Kelly dashed back over to them, refusing to miss the fun. She set down her jar in between Shannon and Jethro and crawled over Shannon, planting herself between them on her hands and knees. She giggled and tumbled into Jethro, protecting her mother. He grunted and caught her.

Shannon flipped onto her stomach, crouching on her hands and knees.

"Get Daddy, Kelly," she ordered with a mean face.

Kelly giggled her tongue between her teeth, and helped Shannon try to tickle Jethro. He played along, baring his teeth at her and pretending to struggle. He definitely wanted her to stay little forever.


	5. The First Time He Knew He'd Kill For Her

_1986; The First Time He Knew He'd Kill for Her_

_

* * *

_

Leroy Jethro Gibbs liked the time he got spend with Kelly when Shannon was elsewhere doing girly, motherly, or wife-ish things. It was a nice day in the summer when he was off duty at Quantico and hot enough for Kelly to prance around in the sprinkler.

Shannon was grocery shopping, so Jethro was on daughter-watching duty. And dinner-making grill duty. He felt he got the good end of the deal. Kelly was dancing around in the sprinkler and chasing butterflies, like every adorable little two-year-old should.

He was expertly keeping his eye on the hamburgers and his offspring from the concrete patio.

"Daddy," Kelly squealed, running up to him and stretching her arms up. He swept her up obligingly, standing next to the grill. She tilted her head at the food and pointed to the tray Jethro had sitting on the grill's shelf. "Cheese?"

Jethro pulled one of the slices of American cheese in half and handed her a piece, watching her eyes light up as she took a bite. Her pigtails were wet and drooping and her pink bathing suit was still damp.

He smiled at her and looked over at the grill again.

"Daddy," Kelly said again, touching his cheek. "Look, Daddy!" she said, pointing to her ear when he looked. She wrinkled her nose and giggled as if she'd done something spectacular.

She had a big, light bluish-purple hydrangea in her hair. It made her eyes look bluer than ever, and considerably more like his.

"Ooh, Kelly," he said, but it was more of an 'oh shit' than an 'I'm impressed' because he peeked past Kelly and figured out that she'd plucked it from Shannon's precious hydrangeas, and Shannon was going make him sleep in the basement for a week if she found out.

"Like?" Kelly asked.

He nodded, smiling, and then glanced back at his daughter.

"Kel, it's not a good idea to pick Mommy's flowers, okay? Mommy will be sad," he explained gently. Her brow furrowed and she pouted a little. She tilted her head uncertainly.

"Pretty, Daddy?" she asked insistently.

He smirked.

"Yes, it's very pretty. You look like a Princess."

She beamed and buried her head in his shoulder, giggling, and he couldn't help but grin, figuring he'd just bear the brunt of Shannon's wrath. Because his wife would notice. Shannon may fail to notice a coffee table in the middle of the room and trip over it, but if someone even _sneezed_ on her flowers, she knew.

Kelly wriggled in his grip.

"I want down," she murmured. "Please, yes?"

"Yes," he answered crouching down and letting her scamper off. She pranced back to the sprinkler, and he watched her for a minute, squealing and avoiding the water. She stopped and touched the hydrangea she'd put in her hair.

"Daddy," she announced, skipping over to the bush. "Daddy, me put it back," she said, putting her finger to her lips. "Shhhh!"

"Shannon is still going to kick my ass," he muttered to himself, giving Kelly an encouraging nod. He turned away for all of five seconds while Kelly was placing the flower gently among the bush's leaves, to flip the hamburgers, and the next thing he knew, Kelly was screaming.

It scared the hell out of him.

He dropped the spatula in his hand carelessly and ran over to her. She'd already burst into tears when he crouched down beside her and snatched her away from the bush.

"What's wrong, Kelly? What happened?" he asked rapidly, tightly.

Kelly, crying too hard to answer, lifted her hand shakily and showed him her finger, pointing to the bush and shying away from it. He put his arm around her and glanced from her finger to the bush, his brow knit.

He saw the large, yellow-and-black striped bumble bee buzzing happily among the hydrangeas, not at all concerned that it had just made his little girl scream in pain. He glared and turned back to Kelly, taking her finger gently.

"Did it sting you, baby?"

She nodded, wriggling up to him and away from the bush. He sighed and held her small finger gingerly as he picked her up, ignoring the notion that the burgers might burn in light of making Kelly stop hurting.

"It's okay, Kelly," he soothed in her ear, running his hand over her back. She kept sobbing, squeezing his arm with her hand. He swallowed and took her into the bathroom, flipping the light on deftly. "Shhh, let me see," he said.

He sat down on the commode with her in his lap and lifted her finger up, squinting in the light. Kelly hid her face in his shoulder. Jethro applied the smallest pressure to her finger, checking for a stinger.

"Ow. No, Daddy. _Ow_," she cried.

"I'm sorry, honey," he apologized, pulling her head off his shoulder gently. He met her red, watery eyes and smiled, showing her the little red sting. "No stinger, Kelly, see? It won't hurt as bad."

"Fix it," she whimpered, her forehead wrinkled. Tears tumbled down her cheeks. "Make okay, Daddy?"

"I'll fix it," he murmured, beginning to get seriously angry at this bumble bee. And on top of that, he was pissed at Shannon's hydrangea bush for not only harboring evil bees, but being pretty enough to lure innocent toddlers into a trap.

Kelly refused to let go of him so, as ridiculous as it was, Jethro just kept her on his hip as he got up and opened a cabinet for the first aid kit. He got out Neosporin and ran some warm water, humming one of Kelly's favorite songs under his breath.

"Daddy, I didn't hurt it," she said tearfully, letting him hold her finger under water and then clean it carefully. He made sure he wasn't hurting her. She kept sniffling and there were still tears on her face.

He gave her a quizzical look. She sniffled again.

"I didn't hurt the bee, why sting?" she said, her blue eyes wide and confused. Jethro decided at that moment to kill the bee.

"It's a mean bee, Kelly. It doesn't know how to play nice," he growled.

"Don't like it!"

"I won't let it sting you again, okay, Kel?"

Kelly leaned forward and snuggled up to his chest, nodding. She watched him dry off her sting and pick through the colourful band-aid choices. Her crying had subsided to soft little hiccup sobs.

"Hmmm," he grumbled thoughtfully. "Kelly, does Cinderella or Barbie fix ouchies better?" He asked seriously. It was now second nature to him to refer to injuries as 'ouchies' and speak of Cinderella and Barbie as if they were his daughter's best friends.

"Mommy," Kelly sniffled unhappily. He made a playful sad face.

"Not Daddy?"

Kelly pointed silently to the Cinderella band-aids. He smiled a little as he pulled one out and put it around her index finger. She looked at it uncertainly. She looked at him and held it up.

"Kiss."

He kissed the finger gently, giving her a hug as he lifted her off the counter and trudged out of the bathroom. He started back outside, maybe to salvage dinner, but Kelly squealed and shook her head.

"No. Bees," she said.

"Aww, Kelly, it's okay. They won't get you again," he tried.

"Bees!" she yelled, and she looked terrified. He paused, looking in her baby blue eyes, and he was suddenly so angry. It was hard to explain. It was like how complete and consuming his initial terror had been when he first heard her scream. Kelly hadn't done anything to hurt that bee. The bee had made her cry, and he was going to kick its ass.

He narrowed his eyes at the hydrangea bush and turned on his heel sharply. He marched out to the garage and fished out a can of wasp killer, shaking it to make sure it was full. Kelly whined uncertainly when he went around and back outside. The hydrangeas, he noticed, were a haven for villainous bees.

"Turn you head away," he said.

Kelly covered her eyes and buried her face in his shoulder, and he stormed over to the hydrangeas, glared at the bee still playing amongst the flowers, and emptied the entire spray can of poison on Shannon's precious flowers.

He thrust the can away, carried Kelly over to the porch swing, and sat down, standing her up next to him.

"Bye-bye, bees," he said sincerely. "All gone, Kelly. No more bees."

"No bees?"

"Daddy killed them," he said solemnly.

Kelly looked at the bush. The leaves already looked sickly. She sat down in his lap and put her arms around his neck, rubbing her nose on his shoulder cutely.

"Mean bees," she sniffled angrily.

Jethro agreed, and stroked her hair. He momentarily forgot that he'd just killed Shannon's favorite plant. It didn't occur to him right away that when she came home and discovered he'd waged war upon her darling hydrangeas, she would rip him limb from limb.

None of that really mattered to him because the hydrangeas had worked in sinister partnership with the bees in a macabre plot to hurt Kelly, and he had just discovered how much it royally pissed him off when Kelly was made to cry.

"Kelly, is it better? Still hurt?" Kelly nodded. He thought she might be taking it a little too far, but then again, he couldn't remember ever being stung himself. He kissed the top of her head.

"Jethro, why does it smell like you're burning—" Shannon appeared on the patio, her purse slung over her shoulder, keys in her hand. "—dinner," she finished, looking at the immolated hamburgers.

She looked at Jethro and Kelly. Her hand slipped off the wall and she came over, sitting down with pursed, querying lips when Kelly looked at her tearfully.

"What happened?"

"Bee sting," Kelly whimpered, holding it up. Instinctively, Shannon took the injured finger and kissed it, rubbing Kelly's hand maternally.

"Poor baby," she murmured. Kell rested her head on Jethro's shoulder. "Did Daddy fix it?"

"Daddy killed the bees!" Kelly answered, pointing. Jethro winced.

Shannon rolled her eyes.

"That's a little over dramatic, honey, just going _Rambo_ on the bees because they—" Shannon had decided to look at what Kelly was pointing at. She made a gasping noise, like her heart had just stopped, and put her hand to her lips.

"Oh my…you _murdered_ my hydrangeas," she said in a strangled voice. She turned a fierce glare on him. "Jethro! You _son_ of a—what possessed you to launch a _terrorist_ assault on my hydrangeas!"

"They harbored the bee that hurt Kelly!" He growled indignantly. She looked at him like he was completely out of his mind. Clearly, Shannon didn't understand the necessity of eliminating the possibility of any future Kelly injuries via bee sting.

"Mean bees," Kelly said again darkly, her contribution to Jethro's defense.

Shannon slumped down, her face a full of distress.

"For the love of _god_," she moaned. She glared viciously at Jethro. He just arched his eyebrows and glanced at Kelly.

"No more bees," he said happily, kissing her head again. Kelly giggled.

"Bzzzzzz," she imitated, holding up her finger.

Shannon kicked Jethro hard in the shin, but smiled all the same at Kelly's little smile. Jethro considered it a victory. His little girl was smiling again.

Jethro and Kelly; one. Vile stinging insects; zero.


	6. The First Time He Was Deployed

_1989; the First Time He Was Deployed_

* * *

Leroy Jethro Gibbs slowly hung up the telephone. There was something deliberate in his motion; like the connection of mouthpiece and wall-mount made his orders final.

The front door opened, and Kelly's giggles immediately sounded through the hall, followed by the swift clicking of her five-year-old, Mary-Jane clad feet.

"Daddy!" she called.

He rubbed his hand over his forehead and turned around, just as she ran through the kitchen doorway and into his legs, hugging him tightly. His wife followed after her, her nose red from the cold winter outside, carrying Kelly's school bag.

Jethro reached down and hugged Kelly, not quite able to force a smile.

"Good day at school, sweetheart?"

"I made you a Christmas ornament!"

She smiled up at him with big blue eyes and proudly lifted up a messily coloured star with sparkles and paint all over it. Jethro felt Shannon eyeing him critically. He cupped Kelly's cheek gently and tilted his head gently towards the living room.

"Go hang it on the tree," he said gruffly. Kelly looked surprised, maybe because he hadn't praised her as was typical, but she leapt back and scampered off. And Shannon immediately glanced after her and stepped closer.

"You could have told her you loved it," she remarked dryly. "What's wrong, Jethro?"

He didn't answer for a minute.

"I'm being deployed."

Shannon blinked.

"Where?" she asked, almost without missing a beat. She said it so calmly.

"Panama."

"When?" she asked quietly.

He hesitated briefly.

"Tomorrow, Shannon."

This time, she did him the courtesy of seeming a little bit upset. She swallowed, looked towards the living room where they could hear Kelly merrily singing _Rudolph_, _the Red Nosed Reindeer _while she sought the perfect place for her ornament, and then reached up and combed her red hair back from her face.

"You'll miss Christmas," she stated neutrally.

"You're handling this pretty damn well," he growled bitterly, put off that she wasn't shedding some tears or reacting angrily or something. Did she think he was okay with jetting off to Central America and missing seeing Kelly's face when she opened the bike they were getting her?

"We knew this day would come," Shannon answered, lifting one shoulder. "I'm not the Marine housewife who makes her husband feel bad for serving his country," she added somewhat sharply.

She reached out and rested her arm on the countertop, chewing on her lip. A few strands of her hair fell forward across her eyes.

"It's such short notice," she said softly.

"Take it up with President Bush," he snapped at her, and didn't notice her visible flinch at the harshness. He started to storm away, but she caught his arm without looking at him for a minute.

"Jethro," she placated in her soothing voice. He looked at her and she met his eyes. "We have to talk to Kelly."

He jerked his head briefly, as if to say 'no'. She nodded firmly in return, her eyes soft. His head throbbed and he felt cold, but he recognized the truth in her statement.

"I can't," he said unwillingly, wincing. He hadn't meant to speak out loud. It sounded weak. Shannon pressed her fingers into his arm comfortingly, and smiled softly.

"She's just a Kindergartener," she teased softly. "What're you afraid of?"

He looked at her impassively. He was afraid of so much.

"Kelly," he called loudly, shaking Shannon's hand off his arm and reaching out to pull her forehead towards his lips for a kiss. "Mommy and I need to talk to you."

He might have known this day would come, but he had never once thought about the conversation.

* * *

As a result of being told Daddy was going to be gone for an unspecified abount of time, Kelly Gibbs was clinging to him all night. Shannon let it go, even if she could tell it was upsetting her husband.

She had experienced long absences in regards to Jethro before; when he was at boot camp, then sniper training, and a few months into their marriage when he'd been stationed at Gitmo. It was infinitely harder to coax her Kindergartener into understanding than it had been for she herself to.

"Will you be home for New Year's, Daddy?" Shannon heard Kelly asking. It was bed time, and Jethro was hoarding the entirety of the bed time routine to himself.

"I don't think so, Kelly."

"Valentine's Day?"

"Maybe."

"Promise, Daddy. Valentine's day. Please? Or I won't have a Valen—"

"Kelly, brush your teeth, baby," he interrupted darkly.

Shannon turned on the sink faucet and watched hot water turn dish soap to bubbles in the sink, clearing away the grease and crumbs from dinner. She bit her lip and took a deep breath. She knew it was hard for Jethro.

And she knew she couldn't do a damn thing to make it better.

Why was America running any military operations this close to Christmas, anyway?

Jethro set his jaw as Kelly snuggled up next to him in her bed, hugging a pony stuffed animal tightly and using his arm as a pillow. He opened the book in his lap, wrapping his arm around his daughter's little shoulders to read to her.

He read her favorite story, and let her do the voices from memory, even if she couldn't really read the words. He drew it out, memorizing her smile, and the light in her eyes, just so he'd have it to drive him if something when wrong or he lost is faith in Panama. He felt like she was threatened because he was putting his life in danger in some country she didn't know for a cause she didn't understand.

"The End," he found himself saying, and looking down slowly at a half-asleep little girl. She curled up and burrowed closer, shivering. It was cold everywhere in DC in the winter. He tucked the blankets around her, and pushed her hair back.

"Daddy," she said groggily.

"Yeah?"

"Don't go until I'm asleep, okay?"

She already sounded like she was, but he nodded, his throat locking up.

"I don't want you to go," she mumbled, shifting to a position where she could lay her head on a pillow and still feel him stroking her hair back. "I'll miss you, Daddy."

He stared at her closed eyes.

"Not as much as I'll miss you, Kelly," he said, a half-hearted tease.

She smiled sleepily and wrinkled her nose, falling silent. He watched her, watching her breathing, and thinking about what his was facing in the hostile invasion he'd participate in tomorrow. He'd be gone before she woke up, and he wondered if she would cry. He would miss her Christmas party at school, and Christmas cookies…Christmas morning.

"I love you, honey," he muttered, leaning over to kiss her goodnight on the crown of her head. She didn't answer, asleep, and still. He shifted, suddenly desperate to get out of the room. He was getting up when she said:

"Daddy, love you more," very quietly, her voice muffled in a pillow, and he paused, savoring the words. She had to have the last word, his daughter.

He turned away from the bed and Shannon was in the doorway, her head tilted against the frame. She moved back as he strode forward, leaving the room and pulling the door shut.

He sat on the floor against it, his knees pulled up to his chest, his forehead resting on a clenched fist.

Shannon sat down silently beside him.

"I packed your bag," she said gently. "Kelly's ornament is in there. So she knows you've got some Christmas with you."

He set his jaw tightly. This felt terrible. It felt like abandonment and emptiness. He shouldn't be leaving his family on Christmas to fight for the freedom of some country he had no stakes in. He didn't want to leave Kelly. He sure as hell didn't want to sleep without Shannon next to him for God knew how long.

He bit into his fist and shook his head sharply.

"I can't promise her I'll be back," he growled.

Shannon tilted her head to look at him.

"Don't, Jethro."

He looked at her, part angry, part distress. His eyes were red. She reached out and cupped his cheek in her soft hand, rubbing his shoulder with her other.

"You'll be fine, Jethro. You'll be safe," she said softly. His blue eyes flashed at her and she narrowed her eyes, raising a brow. "Don't doubt me, Leroy Jethro. You'll be back—you've got to get that damn boat out of my basement sometime."

He glared at her, and then smirked.

She smiled warmly.

"Kelly and I will be alright, honey," she said sincerely. "We live in America. We're safe. Those people in Panama, living in terror…they need you. We'll be here when you get back."

He reached over and spread his palm over the column over her neck, leaning his head back, his ear pressed against his daughter's door. He felt Shannon's pulse beat through her veins and swallowed hard.

"You won't miss me on all these cold nights?" he drawled, a little bitterly.

Shannon grinned.

"I'll find a lumberjack to take your place, smart ass."

He pulled her closer to him, breathing her in. God, Shannon made it easier on him. He loved her—he loved both of them _too_ much.

Up until this point, he had never questioned his devotion to the Marine Corp.

_

* * *

_

_United States Invasion of Panama: "Operation Just Cause". December 19th, 1989-on or about January 24th 1990. _


	7. The First Time He Sat Up With Her

_1984; The First Time He Stayed Up With Her_

_

* * *

_Leroy Jethro Gibbs lay in bed, more than half-asleep, aware of nothing more than the fact that he was tired as hell, his newborn baby was crying again, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd slept longer than an hour at a time.

He heard a frustrated sigh next to him, and Shannon kicked the covers off, sitting up. The lamp flicked on and he turned his head into the pillows. Kelly's crying reached a higher volume and Shannon left; he heard her open the door and then hall light flooded into the room.

Jethro groaned into his pillow. He had to be on base this morning at six a.m. and he just wanted two hours of sleep. That's all he asked for. Kelly's preference for being awake nocturnally had ceased to be cute real quick.

Five minutes, or maybe ten, later, the crying stopped, and a minute later Shannon was back. She didn't say a word, and she was settling back in next to him, trying to get warm and comfortable again, when Kelly started fussing. AGAIN.

The light was on again, and Shannon was up again. But this time…she didn't leave.

"Jethro."

He furrowed his brow tiredly, unaccustomed to her waking _him_ up.

"Jethro," she snapped, and this time, her pillow accompanied her voice, hitting him right in the back of the head.

He sat up, scowling, glaring at his wife.

"What, Shannon?" he hissed, touching the back of his head.

She stood next to the bed, dark circles under her eyes, her hair all tangled, arms crossed tensely across her chest.

"Sorry to disturb you," she threw at him sarcastically. "Do you expect me to take care of her by myself?" she asked sharply, glaring right back at him.

Jethro sensed he was on thin ice. He blinked blearily and stared at her.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"You haven't gotten up with her once, Jethro! For the past three nights she's been crying and you just _sleep—_"

"I have to work in the morning, Shannon," he growled defensively, sitting up straighter. He tried to adjust his eyes to the light and the fight. His mind started turning; how many times had he been up with Kelly? She was…ten days old now...and he couldn't think of _once_.

"I don't care if you have to work! I can't do this alone! We didn't have a baby so you could work while she cries in the day and sleep while she cries at night!"

Shannon sounded so desperate. Tears welled up in her eyes. Jethro swallowed guiltily, looking at her uncertainly. He didn't know what to say. Lately every time he'd taken the initiative to take care of Kelly, Shannon had acted as if he'd done it wrong.

"I thought you wanted to do it...you didn't want my help," he tried half-heartedly. She opened her mouth to shout, it looked like, and Kelly started screaming, drowning it out. Shannon put her hands to her ears, shaking her head angrily.

He got out of bed, frowning.

"I can't do it," she snapped. "She cries all night and she doesn't want me," she said. "You have to help me, Jethro. She's your daughter, too."

"Yeah," he agreed, flinching at Kelly's crying. Shannon pushed her hair back and turned on her heel. Jethro stopped her gently, placing a kiss to her forehead. She bowed her head. He wished she wouldn't cry. It made him feel like the world's worst father.

"I'm just so tired," she sobbed.

"I'll get her," he soothed. "I'm sorry."

He kissed her again and slipped past her into the hall, pushing the nursery door open wider and turning the light on. He yawned as he moseyed over to the crib and looked in, raising his eyebrow at Kelly's red face and fussy movements.

"Kelly," he murmured, reaching down and resting his palm on her head.

The baby opened her blue eyes and continued to cry, looking at him helplessly.

He picked her up gingerly, careful to wrap her yellow and purple blankets around her as he settled her against his bare shoulder. Her crying was loud in his ear and he walked around a little.

"Shhh," he soothed in a low voice. He had no idea what was hurting her or irritating her or making her cry. He stroked her back gently, pressing his lips against the side of her head. "Daddy's here, Kelly," he murmured.

She started to quiet in seconds, and he lifted his eyebrows in surprise, glancing down at her over his nose. One of her tiny, fisted hands fluttered against his shoulder. He smirked and paced over to her rocking chair, sitting down gently.

He liked the feel of Kelly snuggled up on his shoulder. He felt a little better now that he had been able to quiet her. Shannon could curl up and get some sleep.

Kelly made sniffling noises and kept moving for a few more minutes. She cooed and whined, and each time he'd stroke her back through the blankets or kiss her head. She just wanted to be held, he figured, instead of be frantically forced to stop crying.

Jethro leaned his head back against the chair, rocking slowly. He stared up at the dim lights in Kelly's nursery, thinking about how tired he'd be on base tomorrow and all the crap he'd have to put up with from his fellow marines for being a family man.

Kelly's breathing was steady, and he considered putting her back to sleep…but he decided against it. Jethro listened to her soft breathing. He felt her heartbeat against his shoulder.

He fell asleep in the rocking chair with Kelly, pretty sure it wouldn't be like this for much longer, and he wouldn't be able to hold her like this.


	8. The First Time They Scared Her

_Early 1985 (Kelly: aged about 8-11 months); The First Time They Scared Her_

_

* * *

_She was storming around the house, and she had hardly spoken a civil word to him in hours. He stood balefully in the kitchen, leaning forward against the countertop in frustration. Listening to her storm.

The first thing that had been done upon arriving at the new house was the putting up of Kelly's crib, and Shannon had focused all over her attention on soothing the fussy, tired baby to sleep while Jethro silently moved boxes in from the truck.

It was late, and dark, and she was unpacking a few necessities. They were both too on edge to go to bed. They had been snapping at each other since leaving the Fieldings' swanky home and the unfamiliarity of base housing was doing nothing to help the mood.

"Shannon, quit givin' me the silent treatment," he snapped finally, through gritted teeth.

He heard some things clatter together as she shoved a box onto a bare table and she turned to him, her blue eyes flashing, placing a hand on her hip.

"You want to talk _now_, Jethro?" she asked icily.

He glared at her, his jaw hardening in frustration. He threw his hands up.

"Talk about _what_?" he demanded. "There isn't anything to talk about!"

"Don't give me that," she barked. "Don't give me that _bullshit_, Jethro!" She pushed a barren dining room chair aside and stormed forward, glaring at him critically. "You crossed a line," she growled threateningly.

He pointed at himself sarcastically.

"_I_ crossed a line? I'm following orders, Shannon! I'm doing my damn job!" he fired back, his head throbbing. They weren't watching their volume, and he already had a headache. Kelly had cried and fussed the entire drive, and as much as he loved her, he had just wanted her to shut up.

"So help me god," his wife slammed her palm down on the counter in front of her. "Don't you dare turn me into the shrewish, unsupportive marine wife," she said fiercely.

"Don't give me a reason to!" he retorted somewhat immaturely, cutting her off when she looked about to say something else.

She grit her teeth and squared her shoulders.

"I haven't given you a reason, Jethro—"

"You—"

"I haven't given you _one_ goddamn reason!" she continued loudly, disallowing his attempted interruption. He snapped his mouth closed and glared at her. She was cursing pretty harshly, and Shannon rarely used language. "I married you under _no_ illusions about what your job meant—I knew we'd have to move, I knew you'd be gone a lot! I married you _anyway_—Jethro, I was _proud_ that you were accepted to sniper school even if it meant you missing two months of my pregnancy!"

She paused, taking a breath after the jumble for words, reining the volume of her voice back in. Her eyes flashed and she looked up, pressing her palm into the counter.

"I don't care if I have to follow you to California—or wait for you while you fight overseas, but you are not allowed to repay me like this. I won't stand for it, and Kelly—"

"_What_ did I do to you, Shannon?" he interrupted sardonically. "You're mad because I moved us away from your mother—that _woman_ was driving us crazy! She's unhealthy, she's a manipulative _bitch_—we kept saying we needed distance—"

"She's still my _mother_, Jethro!" Shannon shouted over him, her eyes wide with shock. She'd never heard him let loose so violently about his dislike of her mom. "And I have _always_ had you're your back with her, always! This isn't about moving—it's about your stupid, arrogant attitude and the way you think you're the only one who makes decisions around here! It isn't just you anymore, and you need to get that in your head! You've got _me_—_we_ have _Kelly_—"

"I'm a marine! They tell me to go, I move, end of story. You _knew_ that could happen—"

"You told Mom—you told _me_—that you weren't up for a transfer for another six months. Don't you _dare_ think I'm not aware you put in for one. Don't insult my intelligence, _honey_. You made sure this happened—"

"I can't stand how she treats me, Shannon! She acts like I'm not good enough for you. I don't want Kelly growing up thinkin I'm some _loser—"_

"Kelly is _never_ going to think that about you!" Shannon interrupted passionately. She gave him an incredulous look. "She's just a baby, she doesn't understand any of this! She picks up on _our_ stress! You uprooted us like _that,_" Shannon snapped her fingers and shoved her hair back away from her face. "I lost my job, we're here in this new place—I don't know anyone, I barely had a chance to say goodbye, to adjust—am I making sense? Do you understand me now?" she demanded.

"We decided—"

"Bullshit, Jethro," she interrupted again. "_You_ decided. You decided to ask for a transfer and you decided we were leaving. You blindsided me. I wasn't raised to be _submissive _I am _not_ your little home-maker raised below the Mason-Dixon line—I am your wife. You wouldn't appreciate it if I sent Kelly off to some boarding school one day without telling you and I do not appreciate it when you keep me in the dark," she slammed her palm on the counter again and the echo resounded across the kitchen.

He flinched. He reached up and rubbed his forehead. They had never had a fight like this. They had snippy arguments, they had disagreements, and sure, they had fights—but this was scary.

"I am just trying to do what's best for my girls," he growled aggressively.

She thrust a hand out at him violently.

"That's the problem," she hissed. "You think you're the only one who knows best."

They both paused suddenly as the baby monitor on the table lit up, and Kelly fussed. It was a tense, loudly silent moment, while they both waited to see if she would settle.

She lowered her voice.

"You know it, too. You know you did me wrong—you wouldn't look me in the eye the entire drive here."

He leaned back down again and reached up and rubbed his forehead roughly. He looked up at her, his eyes hard, his jaw set.

The baby monitor murmured quietly. Kelly was fussing still, or babbling; something.

"You won't admit you were wrong," Shannon hissed. She drew her eyebrows together in a snarl. "Show me some respect, Jethro. Give me an apology. Give me something."

"No," he snapped, the look on his face implying that was outrageous. His voice was loud. "Apologize for what? Taking a better position? Thinking about Kelly?"

"You are _so_ self-righteous," she snarled. "You hurt me, Jethro! You _hurt_ me when you shut me out like this!"

"Jesus, Shannon, just shut-up."

"Fuck you."

He stared at her. He had never heard her talk like that. She'd never said anything like that to him. Tears welled up in her green eyes and he had never seen her look angrier.

"You want me to shut up—you want me to _leave_, Jethro?" she barked in a cold voice. "I won't even unpack my boxes. Is that what you want? I will pack up the baby and walk out that door and you'll never see her again," the threat was the only thing he heard in the house.

He couldn't even hear his own thoughts; he could just hear that threat. It struck fear through his very core.

Shannon turned around, pausing as she glanced at the baby monitor. Kelly was still fussing. She stormed off.

"Shannon!" Jethro barked, his voice less harsh. She had an angry, wild look in her eyes, and he shoved away from the counter, knocking his knee against the doorway as he stormed out after her. No—it was more like a run.

"Shannon, baby, _stop_," he yelled, a little desperately. He rarely called her by any sort of pet name, but he felt like he was losing his mind suddenly.. She looked frantic, trying to find a doorway.

"Back off," she snapped at him viciously.

"Shannon," he said again. "Shannon, _don't_—" He caught up with her in the dark hallway and reached out hesitantly to take her shoulder, but she yanked away from him before he could. She stormed into the master bedroom and turned to slam the door.

Jethro put his hand on the doorway, and she seemed to notice at the last minute; she gasped, fighting with her grip on the doorknob, and gave a cry of surprise and anxiety as the door slammed into Jethro's fingers.

The baby started to cry; frustrated, tired, angry sobs that could be heard throughout the house.

"_Ah_," shouted Jethro, yanking his hand back and holding his knuckles to his lips. "Goddamnit," he growled, gritting his teeth. He swore under his breath.

"Oh, Jethro," she said in a choked voice, stumbling out of the barren room. "Jethro," she said again, reaching for his hand. He was tempted to pull it away from her, but her soft hands calmed him down a little. "I didn't want to hurt you," she said shakily, her nose scrunching up. "Why did you put your hand there?" she asked desperately, guilt spreading all over her freckled face.

_She_ started crying, kissing his knuckles.

"I don't want you leave," he growled at her gruffly.

The baby continued to cry, trying to get their attention. Mixed into her rising, hoarse cries were nonsense words and babbling, the occasional 'da's and 'ma's that they recognized as their names. The baby was crying, and Shannon was crying, and Jethro's knuckles were throbbing

Shannon looked torn; she glanced over his shoulder at the room where they'd laid Kelly down. Jethro gently pulled his hand away and turned, barging through the door and flicking the light on.

Kelly was standing in the crib, her little hands on the bars, hair all messed up. She was red in the face from crying, and he knew the same guilt he felt for ignoring her even for a second was swallowing Shannon up, too.

They both stared at her for a minute and then reached for her at the same time. Shannon paused and Jethro swept her up into his arms, hugging her against his shoulder and stroking her hair soothingly.

It took a minute, but she quieted down. She was tired, and she had been held by only Shannon all day, so maybe Daddy holding her was a welcome change of pace.

The baby reached up and rubbed her eyes, a frown on her mouth. She peeked at Jethro from his shoulder and whined quietly. Shannon moved closer.

"Did we scare you, Kelly?" she asked in a strangled voice, placing her hand on Kelly's back. She pursed her lips and shushed Kelly quietly.

Jethro patted her back and looked at her from an angle, kissing the side of her head.

"Ah, she's okay, Shannon," he murmured, rocking back and forth.

Shannon took a breath. She watched her husband and Kelly for a moment and she reached out with her other hand and gripped his bicep.

"You know it was an empty threat, Jethro," she said tentatively. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, leaning forward to press her forehead against his shoulder. "I'm not going to leave you. I couldn't," she finished softly.

He shrugged a little.

"I'd just come get you," he muttered petulantly.

She smiled, giving a roll of her eyes and reaching for his knuckles. He winced when she ran her thumb over the bruising flesh. She kissed him again, breathing in as she calmed down. Kelly made soft, snuffling noises.

"I love you," he said.

She looked up, tilting her head. It wasn't something he said often. She laced her fingers through his and pressed his hand against his chest, her palm warm through his old t-shirt. She nodded her head once, slowly. He glanced at the baby again, his hand now resting still on her head.

"She's asleep," he said gruffly. "I think it did scare her," he said, ashamed.

"It scared me," Shannon volunteered in a small voice.

He took his hand from hers and brushed his knuckles against her cheek, his eyes on hers. Her pupils were large and the green in her eyes were just rings in the dim light. This house was theirs, for however long he was stationed here. It was a place of their own.

"Me too," he admitted in a low voice, not quite meeting her eyes.

She reached up and placed her hands on his neck, leaning on tip-toes to kiss him. It was awkward, because he had his arms around the baby. She rubbed Kelly's back again. It may have been their worst fight yet, but it meant something that they came out of it more together than apart.


	9. The First Time She Walked

_Mid-Late 1985; The First Time She Walked_

* * *

Leroy Jethro Gibbs peeked over the paper again, eyeing his daughter sharply. She put her tongue between her teeth and giggled when she saw him, smacking her hands together. Safely buckled in her high chair, she grinned at him innocently.

In her naïve little fifteen-month-old mind, she thought she was actually getting away with throwing the cheerios at him.

Slowly, Jethro raised the paper back up over his eyes.

A few seconds later, another cheerio plunked into his newspaper.

He snatched the newspaper down quickly, giving Kelly a suspicious look.

Again, she clapped her hands and giggled. He raised his eyebrows at her and wiggled them, pretending to cover his face slowly. She ducked down, picking through her bowl, and he rapidly pulled the newspaper down, eyeing her again.

She gasped, dropping a few cheerios.

"DaDA!" she screamed, smacking her hands down in front of her. She giggled, kicking her feet and beaming at him. She picked up a cheerio, clasping it with her whole hand. He opened his mouth wide and closed it a few times, like a monster.

Kelly squealed.

She threw the cheerio at him. He made a show of trying to catch it. Her eyes lit up and he smirked. If she was going to be throwing cheerios, he figured she should at least have some ultimate point in it.

She opened and closed her mouth in imitation, indicating he should do so.

"Catch," he said. "Say 'catch', Kelly," he said.

She had slowly begun repeating things after them once she had mastered her impressive three words of 'Mama' 'Daddy' and 'Boat'. He and Shannon were trying to teach her to communicate a little better.

"Dada!" she shouted instead, throwing the cheerio at him. It bounced off his nose. She clapped at herself, giggling madly. She was such a happy baby in the mornings.

"Jethro," his wife sighed in exasperation as she walked into the room, clumsily fastening on an earring. She bent over and plucked two or three cheerios off the floor. She gave him a look and a raised eyebrow. "I've been trying to get her to _stop_ throwing her food," she said.

"If she's going to throw it, she could at least learn some aim," he retorted with a shrug.

"Why don't you ever teach her anything useful?" Shannon asked, tilting her head.

"Catch!" shouted Kelly. Three cheerios flew at Shannon, falling to the floor after they hit her sharp grey blouse.

"I taught her a new word," Jethro said sheepishly. She raised her blue eyes to the ceiling and look back at him with a sigh.

"I must be out of my mind to leave her to your mercy for a whole day," she teased.

He glared at his wife. She rested her hand on his shoulder and kissed his cheek.

"You're sure your superiors won't be angry?"

Jethro shrugged. He was already in his uniform, but the friend Shannon had asked to watch Kelly had to cancel, and he had managed to get an okay to stay home with the baby today from his CO. He was close to base if they needed him anyway.

"Remember the last time we took her to base?" he asked by way of response. Shannon gave the baby a thoughtful look. Kelly giggled. Shannon nodded, arching an eyebrow. Jethro smiled, looking her up and down appreciatively.

"You look hot," he complimented bluntly. She hit him in the side of the head. "Go get your job," he said, pulling the paper towards him.

They had been in this house coming on five months now, and Shannon had deemed it safe to start searching for a new place to work. The local school system was hiring elementary counselors for a four-day-a-week position, and she thought it suit her perfectly.

Shannon walked around the table and smothered Kelly with a hug, bestowing exaggerated kisses on her cheeks and nose. Kelly shrieked and scrunched up her face, puckering her lips.

"You be good for Daddy, darling," Shannon beseeched, stroking her hair back as she straightened. "Keep him in line, hmm?"

"Bye bye," Kelly answered, waving mechanically at Shannon. "Bye."

Shannon arched an eyebrow, skeptical of Kelly's carefree acceptance of Mommy leaving her alone all day. She came back around the table and, as she swept her purse into her hands, stumbled and nearly fell into Jethro's lap.

He grabbed her elbow deftly and steadied her, snickering.

"Jeez, Shannon, I know the uniform is irresistible but we have a kid, you can stop throwing yourself at me…" he drawled.

"Shut your mouth," she snapped, hitting him. She scowled, glancing down at a rare pair of heels on her feet. "They're professional."

"Is it professional to fall on your face at work now?" Jethro deadpanned.

She leaned down and glared at him, narrowing her eyes warningly.

"You keep on with that mouth, and I will divorce you," she promised, winking. She pursed her lips and he kissed them.

"Good luck," he said. She smiled and waved one last time to Kelly, managing to walk out the door without any further mishaps. Jethro turned back to the table and eyed Kelly apprehensively.

He had plenty of experience caring for Kelly. She had been a part of their lives for over a year now. He just had never really stayed home with her all day by himself since she became mobile.

Kelly had a habit of just…crawling off.

"Your Mom could never leave me," Jethro assured her solemnly.

Kelly giggled. She picked up her cheerios and put some in her mouth, smiling at him through her tiny fingers.

He folded his paper and leaned forward, raising his eyebrow at her.

"What're we gonna do today, princess?"

* * *

He stared dubiously at his daughter.

It was going to be really fun to tell Shannon about _this_ new word.

"Kelly, stop throwing your toys," he said, for what seemed like the eight thousandth time today.

"No."

He glared at her. It had started when she had turned cheerio throwing into building block throwing and then into shoe throwing and then into whatever the heck she could get into her hands throwing. He was beginning to understand Shannon's disapproval of him endorsing the throwing.

All he had said was 'No throwing, Kelly' and all that had come out of it was Kelly's new favorite word.

He leaned forward and she widened her eyes, her face taking on a sad, scared look. She hugged the plush Strawberry doll in her hands tightly.

"No!" she cried, sounding desperate.

He leaned back, puzzled. He kept trying to exact discipline, but she kept doing that. He couldn't figure out how she had leaned both the word 'no' and the saddest, most precious puppy-dog look in the world in the same five minute range.

He was finding it really difficult to take things away from her.

Kelly chucked the Strawberry Shortcake doll across the room. Again.

She pointed to it.

"Catch."

He sighed and looked over at the doll. She didn't seem to understand the definition of 'catch' either. She just said it after she threw something. And expected him to fetch whatever she had thrown.

"Dada. CATCH!" she shrieked, a big grin on her face. He shook his head in annoyance. This was like the push-the-sippy-cup-on-the-floor-and-make-Mommy-pick-it-up game Shannon had grown to hate five months ago.

She was sitting contently in the middle of their living room, happily fed, not at all sleepy, alert and smiley. He was thankful it had not been a tantrum-filled, unhappy baby day, but this was starting to be no fun.

He wanted Shannon to come home.

Shannon was able to ignore Kelly's cuteness and lay down the law.

Jethro figured he'd learn how to do that when _boys_ started to be involved.

He crawled over to the doll and brought it back to her, holding it with a warning.

"Kelly, this is the last time. Do not throw your toys. You could hurt someone," he said. He handed it back to her slowly. "Daddy won't go get it again."

She smiled at him and took Strawberry doll, hugging her with one hand. She picked up a building block and put it in her mouth. He gave her a look.

"Yuck," he said. "Icky. Don't eat that," he said.

"No," Kelly mumbled through a mouthful of block.

"That's right. _No_ eat," he said, taking it gently. He placed it on the coffee table.

He wondered if everyone's kid ate dirty building blocks, or if it was just his. Sometimes he wondered if Kelly was dumber than everyone else's, but then he always remembered that she was his baby, so she was clearly perfect in every way.

Kelly twisted her head and looked up at the table, furrowing her brow.

"No," she whined. She grabbed the edge and pulled herself up, reaching for the block. He sighed, unimpressed, and moved it out of her reach. Kelly had spent the last five months standing as if she was going to walk and then either falling over or staring at them like she was confused about what to do next.

Shannon seemed to think it was totally fine.

Kelly stretched out and reached for the block, stomping her foot.

"Dada!" she shouted, frowning.

"Pick something else to play with, honey," he said firmly.

She grabbed the table tightly and looked at him, wobbling a little. She threw Strawberry Shortcake at him. He picked up the doll from where it had landed in his lap and held on to her.

"I said Daddy wouldn't give her back again," he reminded her.

She looked at him with wide eyes, then at the block and at the doll. She made a noise of frustration and stomped her little foot again, glaring at him.

"No!" she shouted, reaching out for the doll. She held onto the table, whining at him. He shrugged and held up Strawberry, making her dance.

"You can come get her, Kel," he murmured. He nodded encouragingly. Kelly put her tongue between her teeth. She seemed to consider it. Then she fell back on her behind and looked at him with big, watery blue eyes.

"Peas, Dada?" she whimpered.

He stopped taunting her with the doll, feeling mean all of a sudden. The phone rang. Sure it was Shannon; he held up a finger to his daughter and stood up, laying Strawberry Shortcake on the couch. He picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Is my child still alive?" Shannon asked.

"I don't know. Let me ask the gypsies I sold her to."

"Jethro," Shannon laughed. "I'll take your jokes as a good sign," she said, switching gears. "I'll be on my way home soon. I'm stopping by the supermarket. Did she do anything amazing today?"

"She exists," Jethro answered smartly.

"Aww," Shannon said sarcastically. "You softy."

Jethro walked towards the living room, stretching the phone's cord. He needed to make sure Kelly hadn't thrown the television out the window or something.

"Did you get your job?" he asked, peeking around the corner.

Kelly wasn't sitting on the floor. Or standing at the table.

A tidal wave of panic went through him as he glanced around frantically, his mind going absolutely crazy for about five seconds until he saw her.

"Dada!" she cried, holding up Strawberry Shortcake. She smiled at him and he stared at her dumbly, his eyes wide. She leaned against the couch, brushing the dolls' hair with her fingers.

Slowly, Kelly stumbled back a little and took a few steps towards him, her eyes wide.

"SHANNON," he shouted, interrupting whatever she was rambling about.

"What?" she gasped, her voice going up. "What's wrong?"

"Come home. Now," he ordered.

"Jethro, is she—"

"She's fine. She's walking," he said. He crouched down, feeling the phone protest against the stretch he put in the cord.

He held out his free arm.

"Come here, Kelly," he coaxed, smiling. "Come here," he said.

"Jethro," whined Shannon, firing off something about 'of course she would walk when he was home even though she spent every waking moment with her…'.

Jethro ignored her, grabbing Kelly up and kissing her when she stumbled unsteadily into his knee. The little girl squealed at the affection, covering her eyes and hiding behind the Strawberry doll.

"She walked from the couch to the kitchen door," he bragged into the phone. "Kelly, Kelly say hi to Mama," he said, holding the phone out. Shannon murmured something that he didn't hear. Kelly shook her head.

"No," she insisted with a grin.

Smug that she had walked on his watch, Jethro held the phone against his ear again, smirking at Kelly's stubborn refusal.

"She learned a new word, too."


	10. The First Time He Knew About Her

_1984; The First Time He Knew About Her_

* * *

It was a sunny, hot, bright day. It was a nice day, but it was _too_ bright, and the sun was _too_ sunny. Leroy Jethro Gibbs was tired, he was sick of the heat—spending two months in Cuba did that to you—and he just wanted to see his wife. And sleep.

He wished Shannon had been at the airport to meet him, but she had been visiting her parents when he was informed he was being sent back to the states, and she would barely make it back to base housing at Lejeune to meet him.

He didn't care too much. It meant he conveniently missed visiting her mother and still got to see her right away.

He muttered under his breath at the unbearable heat and trudged along to his house, eyeing the car in the drive. Shannon was home. He smirked a little. She didn't know what time he would be back, and he was looking forward to surprising her.

He would be able to tell her that he had received his sniper certification and succeeded in passing qualifications to interrogate prisoners should he need to. So the time apart was worth it.

He pulled his key out of his pocket and opened the door quietly, slipping in the house. He dumped his backpack loudly in the hallway, eyeing Shannon's pile of sandals by the door. He walked forward slowly.

"Shann—"

Before he could even finish, he was blindsided by a mass of red hair leaping at him from around the corner. She nearly crawled up his back, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. He grinned and grabbed her leg, holding her up easily. He laughed, burying his face in her neck contentedly.

"Jethro!" she squealed into his shoulder. She grabbed his head and kissed him. "I missed you," she murmured, hugging him again. He hugged her back tightly, grinning. She gave him a break and unwrapped her legs, standing on her own.

"I worried you might take up with some Cuban _senorita_," she said wryly.

He made a face.

"They were all ugly," he answered seriously, reaching out to touch her again. He grasped her shoulders in his hands, looking her over eagerly. Two months was a damn long time to have no contact with your wife. He had only been able to speak with her three times.

"You look different," he decided, his brow furrowing a little. Her hair was the same. She dressed the same. She just looked different. _Twice_ as attractive, if that were possible. Then again, he had been gone for a while.

He didn't want to say it in case it pissed her off, but her breasts were definitely bigger. He knew. He had spent a considerable amount of time thinking about them when he was hundreds of miles away wishing he could see them.

She smiled and bit her lip.

"Different?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "I'm not sure how to take that."

He shrugged, scrutinizing her. He slid and arm around her waist and pulled her close again. He glanced down her shirt and up again. She was not fooled for a second.

"Jethro," she coaxed softly, tilting her head. She smiled, and tried to rein it in, and then smiled again. "Are you going to ask me what's different?"

He swallowed, his mind going back to the weeks and months and conversations before he had been shipped off to Guantanamo Bay. He didn't want to ask her, in case he upset her because it wasn't true. But he had this _feeling_. And he knew what they had been _trying_ to do before he left.

"Nope," he said gruffly. "Tell me."

She bit her lip and looked up at him through her eyelashes, swallowing slowly. She took a deep breath.

"You got me pregnant," she announced smugly.

She pressed her palms to his chest and waited anxiously for his reaction, her blue eyes searching his.

He stared at her. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out for a minute. They had fought about his leaving for sniper school because they were in the middle of trying to have a baby, and it hadn't seemed to be working. He cleared his throat.

"You're pregnant?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

She smiled, and nodded.

He just looked at her, his eyes widening a little.

"I thought—how long have you been pregnant?" he asked.

"I found out two weeks after you left," she said, a little breathlessly. "I didn't want to tell you over the phone—the reception was so bad, and I was worried something terrible might happen anyway," she paused hesitantly.

He grinned. He grabbed her hips and picked her up again, tilting his head back to look at her. She laughed, raising her eyebrows.

"So…when?" he asked shakily, staring at her.

"January," she answered surely, biting her lip again.

He grasped the back of her head and kissed her hard, still grinning like a fool. It was not at all what he had expected to come home to, but it was better. The baby thing had really been upsetting Shannon before he left, and now she was happy again. His MP rotation in Lejeune was scheduled to last for the next year; there was no risk of him being gone when the baby was born.

"Do you have any Cuban cigars for yourself?" she murmured, touching her forehead to his.

Her eyes sparkled mischievously. He shook his head, kissing her quickly again.

"Happy?" she asked him.

He nodded firmly, running his hand through her red hair messily.

"I love you," he said gruffly, kissing her again. She laughed, hugging his neck and pressing her lips to his forehead. "Shannon, I don't know how I'd live without you," he muttered seriously, hugging her tightly.

"You now have competition for my love," she answered, slipping a hand between them and pressing it against her abdomen. She arched an eyebrow and looked him in the eye impishly, pursing her lips.

"Moment of truth," she began dramatically. "Want a boy or a girl?"

He just shook his head, making a face. He shrugged.

"I don't care," he answered sincerely. "I don't care. I want him, or her. Or both."

Her eyes went wide in apprehensive fear. She swatted him, laughing nervously.

"Jethro, you'll jinx me! I only want _one_!"


	11. The Last Time He Saw Them

_1991; The Last Time He Saw Them_

* * *

It was simply a typical morning in the Gibbs household. Shannon was making fresh lemonade from lemons purchased at Oceanside's organic market. Kelly was gathering things together for a morning of gardening in their temporary backyard.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was backing his backpack.

In other words, it was as typical a morning as it could be for the family of a marine setting off for deployment, and it took every effort of every family member to keep things _typical_.

He set his jaw a little bit tighter as he shoved more supplies into his bag, adjusting his cover. It was mid-January and the weather was pleasant and cool in California, but he was sweating. He listened to his wife and daughter talking back and forth through the open screen door.

It felt much the same as the week he had packed up the pick-up to drive out to California, but more permanent. That time, Shannon and Kelly had been following the next week to live on base with him while he trained for this deployment. This time, he was leaving for the Middle East, and a minefield—literal and figurative—of politics, war, and uncertainty.

He didn't want them to follow him there. He was glad they would be here, safe and happy, even if he did have to dive in to some _mess_ a couple governments had made. He would miss them, but it was his job.

"Dad," Kelly tapped him on the back, standing on her tip-toes. He turned around from the back of the pick-up, raising an eyebrow. She beamed at him a little nervously. Shannon had told her to stay out from underfoot, but he didn't mind.

"Need somethin', baby?" he asked.

She shook her head and held out a bracelet strung with incongruous beads. She sidled up next to him and started to scramble up on the truck bed. He helped her, watching so she wouldn't fall. She sat up straight and took his hand, placing the bracelet in it.

"I made it in art class when we learned about Native Americans," she said, pointing at the beads. "They're made of clay, and I painted them. And I put a blessing on them to keep you safe," she explained, poking the bracelet towards him.

He picked it up, eyeing it with a small smile.

"Should I eat them?" he asked seriously.

He brought them to his mouth hesitantly.

"Daddy!" she cried, giggling. She rolled his eyes. "You wear it, silly!" she informed him taking it back. "See, look," she rolled the bracelet onto his wrist and settled it just where the sleeve of his uniform ended.

He looked at the bracelet, tilting his head. He smirked a little, reaching over to touch some of the textured, earthy beads. Then he reached out and cupped Kelly's cheek in his palm.

"You like it?" she asked, her eyes wide and anxious.

"Love it," he answered gruffly. He leaned over and kissed the crown of her head, resting his cheek there briefly. "I'll stay safe, Kelly," he muttered, ruffling her hair a little.

"Well, but, you can't make the bad guys let you be safe," she said smartly, frowning a little. "Daddy, I hate it when you go to war."

He frowned, studying her quietly. He lowered his hand and rubbed her shoulder soothingly.

"I don't like it either," he said gently. "It's my job."

"You like being a marine!" she pointed out with a smile.

He nodded in agreement.

"I don't like leaving you and your mother," he pointed out.

She made a face, frowning.

"It scares me when you go," she said quietly. "Last time your stitches were scary. What happens if you die?" she asked, tilting her head up. Her blue eyes were so wide with apprehension.

Jethro swallowed hard and touched her under the chin, shaking his head slowly.

"Nah, dying isn't in the cards," he said, as lightly as possible.

"Daddy, you don't know everything," she informed him.

He reached over and shook the beads she'd given him.

"I'm blessed, remember?" he asked, making a 'duh' sort of face.

She looked at the beads for a minute. She broke into a wide smile and scrambled up, throwing her arms around his neck. She squeezed him until he couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes, hugging her back gently.

It was harder to have these conversations the older Kelly got. She understood more, and she became angry if he or Shannon downplayed what might happen.

Glasses clinked gently in the yard and Jethro turned, swinging Kelly off the truck bed and placing her steadily on the driveway.

"Lemonade," he pointed out, widening his eyes. He reached out and swiped at her stomach, tickling her lightly. "Make Mom give me the big glass," he said in a whisper. Kelly scampered off to do so.

He turned back to zipping and fastening his bags, the beads on his bracelet clinking together softly. He tried not to dwell too much on the months ahead. This was only his second legitimately dangerous, long deployment, and the last had not been too bad.

The leaving did not get any easier. There was some new hardship to it every time he came across it, yet it did become more…commonplace. He and the girls sort of fell into a routine when it came time for him to go, and once the fourth or fifth time had come around, there was less of a desperate fear to it.

He didn't know how long Bush would have them overseas for this one, but there could be a long road ahead. It would be his second tour as a sniper. In the back of his mind and the pit of his stomach, he had a hollow, inexplicable feeling of dread. He wanted to chalk it up to his leaving—he knew he would miss Kelly's piano recital, and his and Shannon's anniversary—but that wasn't it.

Something was wrong in his gut.

He tried to shake it off.

"Mommy put too much sugar in it," Kelly warned him solemnly, scampering back up with a full glass. Jethro eyed the cup apprehensively.

"How much too much?" he asked warily. He shot a glare at Shannon over Kelly's shoulder. How dare she ruin his last glass of lemonade for what could be months.

"Well, she thought it would be okay to put _all_ the rest of our sugar in there," Kelly said.

Jethro took a sip. He made a face and narrowed his eyes. Kelly grinned, and started to open her mouth.

"Shhh!" Jethro said. "Don't tell her," he hissed.

"He likes it!" Kelly yelled.

"Liars," Shannon responded, eyeing them.

Kelly shared a look with him and giggled. He drank most of the lemonade and handed it back to Kelly as Shannon approached, a folded up blanket in her hands. Kelly ran off to dispose of the glass.

"What are you expecting to gain from lying through your teeth?" she murmured, arching an eyebrow.

"Hmmmmm," he sighed lazily. He reached out and rested both arms on her shoulders, tilting his head thoughtfully. "Don't know, baby, why don't you climb in the back of my truck and find out?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Shannon titled her head back and laughed, her nose crinkling attractively.

"Our permanent form of birth control reminds me I must deny you," she said sadly, shrugging a little. She glanced at Kelly as the eight-year-old skipped back towards them. "Here she comes now," she whispered.

Jethro grinned.

"What are you guys talking about?" Kelly asked, putting her hands on her hips and looking at them sternly.

"Birds," Jethro said seriously.

Shannon smirked. She rested her palm on the blanket in her hand.

"I pulled it off the bed. Keep warm," she said. He took it and pressed it to his nose, inhaling her scent. He nodded, placing it with the rest of his things. It would be much appreciated on freezing, February desert nights.

There was a moment of silence; they each knew the time had come for him to drive away. He knelt down to Kelly's level and snatched her close for a hug, kissing her cheek.

"Bye, Daddy," she mumbled quietly.

"Bye, sweetheart," he said gruffly. He smiled at her, his hand on his knee. "Send me a tape of that piano recital, okay?" She nodded vigorously.

He stood up.

"We've said it all before," he said vaguely, with a shrug.

"Say the words," she demanded, arching an eyebrow.

"I will take care," he recited, rolling his eyes playfully. "I will come back safe."

She gave him a look through her lashes.

"Not those words," she said softly.

He stepped a little closer and kissed her on the mouth, squeezing her fingers in his tightly.

"I love you," he offered up, almost under his breath.

She nodded, taking the words to heart. She kissed his cheek gently and then pressed her palm against the same spot, meeting his eyes silently for a second. Then she stepped back, and crossed her arms.

"We'll be here when you get back," she said simply, giving him a smile.

He gave them a wave and closed up the back of the truck. He got in, revved the engine, and threw his cover in the seat next to him, pulling out of the drive. He smiled tightly as he saw them waving at him in the rearview mirror.

He still could not shake that cold feeling of dread, but he began to attribute it full to the prospect of war in the Middle East. He did not understand how the unmarried, single soldiers did it—he couldn't comprehend how they lived through the bloodshed, inhumanity, and torture of the war without any light to go home to.

That was how he thought of it, at least. Kelly and Shannon, they kept him going. They kept his spirits up when the absolute horror and the trauma and the stress threatened to consume his soul.

The very knowledge that they were waiting for him at home assuaged ever fear and hopeless feeling, because they were really all that mattered to him.

For a short time, when he'd run away from Stillwater, the Marines had been his world. He hadn't given a damn about anything. But now, that was different. Being a Marine was just a job—Shannon and Kelly were his world.

_Le End._

* * *

_-Well, that is that. It was indeed finished by graduation-oh, the nostalgia, fictional and non._


End file.
